Thursday, September 2, 2010

Williamsburg: So much for that...

From Nathan Kensinger:

Williamsburg has the highest concentration of stalled development sites in New York City, according to a 2010 report in The Real Deal. This has been the case since at least July 2009, when The New York Post described it as "ground zero in the growing scourge of stalled construction," with more stalled projects then The Bronx, Staten Island or Queens. The number of abandoned projects in Williamsburg has soared since 2009, according to the Brooklyn Paper, which reported in June 2010 that "Brooklyn is pockmarked by a disproportionate number of abandoned development sites compared with the rest of the city... North Brooklyn has been hardest hit." Currently, Williamsburg's stalled projects range from empty condominium towers and unfinished steel frames to huge holes in the ground and vast open fields.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is a good case for eminent domain. There is plenty of private money waiting to be spent. Seize these projects ( for the good of the community )and let someone else finish them.

Snake Plissskin said...

Seize these projects and make the public parks.

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a perfect place for Borough President Marty Markowitz to build his monument to himself...namely the new Amphitheater he wants to build.
It's OK Marty.. rename it " The Marty Markowitz Williamburg Music Center.."
It has a nice ring to it!

Velvethead said...

Hey Snake, change your name to Polly the Parrot, would ya.
"Brahhh! Make it a park! Brahhh!"

Anonymous said...

It's not just Williamsburg, it's all over the outer boroughs, but you know what, you don't see stalled construction sites in Manhattan. Bloomberg & Quinn's domain.

Anonymous said...

Legislate future projects to hold money in escrow that will pay for legal fees for the city to take over the properties if the building is incomplete. THe city can auction the property or raze it funded by tax liens sold to individuals interested in these financial instruments that remove the cost the city could be burdened with.

Snake Plissskin said...

Hey Snake, change your name to Polly the Parrot, would ya.
"Brahhh! Make it a park! Brahhh!"



Hell of a lot better than tear down and cram in.

But then again, who cares about the voters and taxpayers and their quality of life? There are those campaign bills that have to be paid, eh?

Velvethead said...

Parks cost lots of money! Taxpayer's money. NYC spends tens of millions yearly to build and maintain parks. Look how much they're spending on Fresh Kills landfill to reclaim it as a park! Meanwhile all of central SI (Greenbelt) is one big park!
A park here and there, fine, very nice. But whackos who chortle make it a park (or a museum,e.g. the old FH tennis stadium, another winning statement),
Please already.

Queens Crapper said...

Aaaaand if we didn't give land, zoning changes and variances away for free, or give huge tax breaks, or actually cracked down on deadbeats, or fined all those constructing illegally, we'd have lots of money to spend on parks.

Anonymous said...

Turn em into affordable housing.